1,000 Compete in Scouts Expedition

Around 1,000 participants put their stamina to the test in the traditional 30-kilometer Scouts Battalion expedition on the Pakri Peninsula on April 7.

Cadet Andres Seppel from the Military Academy won the military-athletic competition that was held to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the re-establishment of the Scouts Battalion, setting a new track record of 2:48:49.

"The spring thaw started later this year, so the track was better than last year," said 2nd Lt. Rauno Mäe, the main organizer of the competition. "That also had an effect on the results as the newly established track record shows," added Mäe.

In addition to the Defense Forces, the competitors included members of the Defense League, the Border Guard Administration, the Police and Rescue Boards, and other organizations as well as civilians.

The expedition is an annual competition organized by the Scouts Battalion that is open to representatives of all the power structures as well as civilians, regardless of their gender, age, or rank.

The competitors had to cover the 30-kilometer route, carrying 15 kg of compulsory gear. In the case of Defence Forces personnel this included the service weapon and a 10 kg backpack. Along the route, there were water stations at every 3 kilometers and a station offering snacks and blueberry soup at the 20-kilometer mark. After the finish, the participants were served hot soldiers' soup in the mess hall of the 1st Infantry Brigade Logistics Battalion.